Rain-gutter for houses



No Model.)

J. H. HORAN.

RAIN GUTTER FOR HOUSES. No. 559,942. Patented May 12, 1896.

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JAMES H. HORAN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

RAlN-GUTTER FOR HOUSES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 559,942, dated May 12.1896.

Application filed October 12, 1895. Serial No. 565,464. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J AMES H. HORAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of J etferson and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRain-Gutters for Houses; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to the gutters or eavestroughs designed to catchand carry off the rain-water that drips from the eaves of houses.

The object of my invention is to provide a strong well supported gutteror eavestrough the bed of which is free from all obstructions calculatedto prevent the passage of leaves or other solid matter that mayaccumulate in the water-trough and hinder the cleansing or the paintingof the inside of it, and which may easily be put in place. I accomplishthis object by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the specification, and specifically set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a section of mygutter or eaves-trough in position for receiving the rain-water. Fig. 2is a perspective view of two of my eavestrough supports attached to thehouse, illustrating my method of supporting the trough. Fig. 3 is a sideview showing one of my supporting-brackets in position and thegutterholder and the gutter-trough and house-wall in cross-section. Fig.a is a transverse sectional view of my improved gutter-trough throughone of the blocked strengtheningstrips.

Eaves troughs or gutters are usually made of roofing-tin lapped andsoldered together at the jointsand strengthened by strips of similarmetal soldered across the inside of the trough to the opposite sides, atthe joints, and sometimes between them. Troughs so constructed lackrigidity and strength, are hard to keep in perfect draining-line, areliable to flatten out and lose shape when the cross-straps are brokenloose, and are difficult to handle when being put in place. Thecross-straps obstruct the passage of leaves or other trash that maygather in the gutter and hinder the painting or cleaning of the inside,and when ice is formed in the trough they are liable to be broken loose.I get rid of this obstruction in my improved guttertrough and give itthe necessary strength and rigidity by substituting for thesestrengthening cross-straps on the inside of the gutter a wide strip ofmetal blocked out or raised to within a short distance of its edges andends and soldered over each joint on the outside of the gutter, giving atriple strength to the joint. This strip has, where it bears against thehead, a flange which is firmly soldered to the lower surface of the headacross the joint. This construction makes the gutter strong and rigidand gets rid of the obstructing cross-straps on the inside.

Eaves troughs or gutters are usually supported in position under theeaves by strips of metal fastened on the top of the roof at the eavesand extending to and fastened to the outer bead of the gutter. They arealso sometimes supported by iron wires or thin iron rods fastened underthe eaves at one end and tapped to iron braces at the other end, whichbraces extend across and are fas tened to the inside of the gutter. Theunbeaded inner side of the gutter is generally fastened to the house bynails driven through the metal. Fastening from above to the eavesinjures the edge of the roof and produces rotting, and the strapspassing from the caves to the outside of the gutter furnish tracks forrain-water and cause a constant dripping outside the gutter as long asthe rain lasts.

I support my improved gutter-trough by brackets attached to the housebelow the trough and hold the inner edge of the trough against the housewithout piercing it with nails, as hereinafter described.

Similar letters refer to similar parts through out the several drawings.

In the drawings, A represents a portion of the wall or cornice to whicha length of my improved gutter or eaves trough B, having its jointsreinforced by the blocked or bossed strips 1) and their flanges b and arolled head 71 along its outer edge, is attached.

0 is a supporting-bracket adapted to be fastened to the house by staplescl d and a prejecting arm adapted to support a gutter stay or band C,fastened to the arm by rivets 61, adapted to embrace the outer surfaceof the gutter-trough and having riveted to its outer end a storm-clamp cof flexible steel adapted to be folded over the bead of the guttertroughand hold it against winds. The stay 0 is preferably slightly bossed orblocked out in its middle portion, and it and the bossed reinforcementZ) are preferably pierced by a small hole at their lowest point to allowthe exit of any moisture or sweat that may collect in them. The upperinner end of the gutter-stay O is held firmly against the housewall by anail, which is also driven through a strip of tin c, projecting beyondthe end of the stay and adapted to be folded down over the inner edge ofthe gutter, as shown in Fig. 2, and hold it close to the wall. The useof this strip 0 obviates the necessity of driving nails through thetrough itself to hold it to the wall. These strips 0 instead of beingplaced at the end of the stays, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, may be nailedto the walls at any intervals desired.

(Z represents a nail or spike adapted to serve as a stop or rest for thestem of the bracket 0. The stem of C may also be fastened to the houseby eyed spikes or in any method most suitable to the material of whichthe house is built.

WVith the stays, supports, and fasteners in place, as described, thebottom of the prepared gutter-trough is laid in the stays, the clamp cbent down over the outer beaded edge and the strips 0 over the edge nextthe house, and the gutter is firmly in place.

One man can easily handle and put in the supports described forty feetof my improved gutter-trough, which is rigid and strong, and, onceplaced in position, preserves a perfect drainage-line.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A metal gutter or eaves-trough, having a raised or blocked strip oftin provided with a flange at one end, soldered over each joint of thetrough on the outside and the flange bearing against the bead of thetrough and soldered to it, substantially as described.

2. In guttering for houses, an eaves-gutter reinforced at its joints bya raised or blocked strip of tin, covering the joints on the outside,having a flange pressing against the bead of the trough and firmlysoldered to the trough, in combination with a bracket 0 carrying a stay0 having a clamp c at its outer end adapted to fit over the bead of thetrough and a strip 0 adapted to fit over the inner edge of the troughand hold it to the house, substantially as described and for thepurposes specified.

Intestimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. I-IORAN. \Vitnesses:

HoRrENsE HORTON, M. E. FORMAN.

